Mr. Robert Bailey was born in Glendale, CA, but he has lived most of his life in Burbank. He is a math teacher and the head track & field and cross country coach at Glendale High School.
Mr. Bailey also teaches astronomy, a class that has been brought back as a science elective this year. In his free time, he enjoys engaging in “amateur astronomy”, which involves watching the sky with a telescope.
This Saturday night, Mr. Bailey and his astronomy students will be holding an event in Moyse Stadium to honor International Observing of the Moon Night 2021. They will be out on the football field on October 16th, from 7pm to 9pm, looking at the moon, as well as other objects that are up there.
Mr. Bailey graduated from John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. He then attended California State University in LA, obtaining a degree in Mathematics. Right after receiving his teaching credential, he came to GHS in 1990, where he has been teaching ever since. (That is over 31 years, Nitros!)
Mr. Bailey says that he enjoys teaching astronomy, and he is glad that the class has been brought back. “I’m hopeful that [this class] will become something that [students] will have more interest in as the years go by,” he says, but he is unsure about student involvement due to the long list of new electives. The astronomy course includes a comparison of objects in our solar system, as well as a study of stars, galaxies, and the history of the universe.
Mr. Bailey had known he wanted to be a teacher ever since high school. He says his favorite part of the job, besides not being tied to a desk like in an office job, and being able to move around, is “the idea of helping kids to the point where you can actually see when they get a new concept.” He claims that it is the most rewarding experience.
On returning back to campus, especially with everything that is going on, Mr. Bailey feels that it is a much less scary experience, now that we have an idea on what to expect, compared to the beginning of the pandemic. He encourages people to get vaccinated and to stay as safe as possible.
Although his biggest hope for this school year is for everything to return back to normal, Mr. Bailey says that he still wants to keep some technology in the classroom. He states that over quarantine, all teachers were forced to try out a variety of media and platforms, and by now, they have already chosen their favorites. He also says that the Chromebook requirement helps prevent students from saying that they cannot access the lesson.
After a year and a half of online learning, Mr. Bailey is most excited about finally being able to interact with his students in person, instead of looking at tiny squares on a screen. He really likes the GHS campus, especially because of its students, who are mostly “good kids.”
Mr. Bailey’s biggest advice for all students is “to be patient and not give up, because there are going to be times when things are going to look really dark.” However, he contends that, “you gotta be able to surround yourself with people who will help you in those times.”
If you are interested in signing up for the astronomy class, please talk to your counselor! Aim for the stars, Nitros!
